Serena sets sights on another "slam"
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Serena Williams has set her sights on holding all four grand slam titles at the same time after crushing Dinara Safina 6-0 6-3 in the final of the Australian Open on Saturday.
The American completed a non-calendar grand slam between 2002-03, which she dubbed the "Serena Slam," and is already halfway toward repeating that feat after winning the U.S. Open last September.
"The Serena Slam is something I'd like to do again," she said.
"It would be great to win more than one, more than two grand slams this year, more than three. That would be awesome."
Williams is already one of just five women who have held all four grand slam titles at the same time.
Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court and Steffi Graf are in the more exclusive club of women who won them all in the same year while Williams and Martina Navratilova did it over two seasons.
The next step for Williams is the French Open, starting on May 24.
"Obviously my sights are on doing well in Paris," Williams said.
"I didn't do well at all last year so when I get there, I won't have that much to lose and I'll just be really relaxed.
"I love Paris, I just can't wait to get there."
Saturday's 59-minute thrashing of Safina provided Williams with her fourth Australian Open title. It also made her a member of an elite group of just seven women who have won at least 10 grand slam titles.
"I wanted to get to 10. I really needed that, I wanted that for me," she said.
"You never know what happens in life. I feel like opportunities sometimes don't present themselves twice.
"I think obviously I'll have that opportunity again, if I didn't win, to get a chance to get to 10. But I felt like this was my chance to take it and run with it."
Even though she has made it to double figures, Williams said she was far from finished yet.
"You should never be surprised by anything that I do," the 27-year-old said.
"I feel like I can go forever. I definitely feel like I have so many years to play.
"Obviously I think I'm playing pretty well, so think that I can definitely do it."
Williams has never been one to set a limit on her goals but there is at least one record that she thinks may be beyond her reach, Court's number of singles grand slam titles.
The Australian won 24 during her career, made up of 11 Australian Opens, five French Opens, three Wimbledons and five U.S. Opens.
"That's a long time. Uhm, unless I could just win like all the time, then that could definitely happen if I stay focused," Williams said.
"But I never look for reaching her, because she's like the ultimate, winning all the grand slams.
"I focus on me. Even if I won two grand slams, I just focus on winning those."
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
